ChangingMedicalSchool

Curricula

Changing Process for Selection of

Medical Students

Changing Identity of

Health CareProfessional

Changing Health

Care Systems

Courses (GPA,

Science GPA)

MCAT

Extracurricular Experiences

Letters of Evaluation

Personal & Professional Characteristi

csSkills & Abilities

Clinical ExposureAltruistic ServiceScholarly Activity(outside classroom)

Elements of a Successful Application to Medical SchoolAAMC Holistic Review Project:

https://aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview

Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT Scores and Prior Experiences in Health

• Active listener• Problem solver• Communicator

(oral, written)• Critical thinker• Multilingual

• Resiliency• Integrity/Judgment• Adaptability• Reliability/

Dependability• Persistence• Motivation• Intellectual curiosity• Empathy• Altruistic service

Skills & Abilities Personal & Professional Characteristics

Current MCAT Exam: FormatBiologicalSciences

(Biology, Organic

Chemistry)Grade: 0-15

PhysicalSciences

(General Chemistry,

Physics)Grade: 0-15

Verbal ReasoningGrade: 0-15

Writing SampleGrade: J-T

• 5.25 hr exam• Computer• BS/PS/VR: 70

min each with 52/52/40 questions

• WS: 60 min; 2 questions

The MCAT2015 Timeline

2015

New exam goes live in Spring

2014

Prep materials available

More prep materials released

Jan2015

First Med School Class selected with new MCAT Exam

Fall2016

Last dates for current exam

Spring2015

6

2013

MCAT2015 Preview Guide Available

New Exam – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

Biological & Biochemical

Foundations of Living Systems

Chemical & Physical Foundations of

Biological Systems

Psychological, Social, & Biological

Foundations of Behavior

Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills

7

MCAT2015 Exam # of Test Questions

Testing Time (minutes)

Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 65 95

Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills 60 90

Lunch BreakBiological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 65 95

Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior 65 95

Total Content Time 6 ¼ hours

Total Time (w/ tutorial, breaks, survey, etc.) 7 ½ hours

MCAT 2015 Exam: FormatBiological & Biochemical Foundations

of Living Systems

Grade: 0-15

Chemical & Physical

Foundations of Biological

SystemsGrade: 0-15

• 6.25 hr exam• Computer• 60-65

questions per section

• Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills

Psychological, Social and Biological

Foundations of BehaviorGrade: 0-15

Critical Analysis and Reasoning

SkillsGrade: 0-15

MCAT 2015 Exam: Format• 6.25 hr exam• Computer• 60-65

questions per section

• Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills

• Knowledge of scientific concepts & principles including math & graphical representations

• Scientific reasoning & evidence-based problem solving

• Reasoning about design & execution of research

• Data-based and statistical reasoning

MCAT 2015 Exam: PreparationBiological & Biochemical Foundations

of Living Systems

Grade: 0-15

Question Distribution:• Biochemistry 25%• Biology 65%• General Chemistry 5%• Organic Chemistry 5%

Chemical & Physical

Foundations of Biological

SystemsGrade: 0-15

Question Distribution:• Biochemistry 15%• Biology 5%• General Chemistry 30%• Organic Chemistry 25%• Physics 25%

MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation

Question Distribution:• Introductory psychology

60%• Introductory sociology 30%• Biology 10%

Question Distribution:• Range of disciplines in

social sciences & humanities

• No specific course work or antecedent knowledge necessary

Psychological, Social and Biological

Foundations of BehaviorGrade: 0-15

Critical Analysis and Reasoning

SkillsGrade: 0-15

MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation

Biology Courses:• Bio 11 (or Bio/Chem 8/9)• Bio 13 (Genetics)• Bio 12 (Cell Biology)• Course with physiology

content (Bio 14, Bio 2, others)

Biochemistry (Bio 40 OR Chem 41)

Biological & Biochemical Foundations

of Living Systems

Grade: 0-15

MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation

Chemical & Physical

Foundations of Biological

SystemsGrade: 0-15

Chemistry Courses• Chem 5/6 OR Chem 10 (or

Bio/Chem 8/9 for Chem 5)• Chemistry 51/52 or 57/58

Physics Courses• Physics 3/4 OR 13/14 OR

15/16

Statistics• Math 10, Psych 10, Socy

10, Gov 10, Econ 10 or Bio 29

MCAT 2015 Exam: PreparationPsychology Course• Psychology 1

Sociology Courses• Sociology 1 or 2

(Introductory)• Sociology 28 (Health Care

Policy)• Sociology 33 (Self & Society)• Sociology 49.10 (Health

Disparities)• (Sociology 68) (Global Health

Systems)

Psychological, Social and Biological

Foundations of BehaviorGrade: 0-15

MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation

• Writing 5• First Year Seminar• “Practice reading” complex

literature in humanities & social sciences• Philosophy• Logic• Theory• Historiography• Anthropology• Government (Policy)

Critical Analysis and Reasoning

SkillsGrade: 0-15

MCAT 2015 Exam: “Add-ons” Beyond Past Course Recommendations

• Biochemistry• Psychology• Sociology• Statistics• “Practice reading” complex

literature in humanities & social sciences

Note: Of 4 listed courses, Biochemistry a medical school admission requirement for ~25 schools at present (and will increase); statistics, psychology and sociology only required by a few at present, but may

change

MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation

• “Success” in Dartmouth courses are best preparation;, review necessary both of potential content AND for style & pace of the exam (practice tests)• Can you learn some of these things

outside of formal class?• ?Self study vs formal prep course• How will medical schools interpret my

score on the MCAT 2015 exam?

MCAT 2015 Exam: Coming

• 2014: AAMC to release a full-length practice test• 2014: Official Guide to MCAT2015 to be

released• 2015: 2nd full-length practice test to

be released• Last chance to take the “old exam”

will be January, 2015

• Available now:• “Preview Guide for

the MCAT2015 Exam (Second Edition)”

• Videos describing the exam

• FAQ’s

Resources for Students

www.aamc.org/mcat2015

• AAMCvideo:• www.youtube.com/user/

AAMCvideo

Test Preparation for the New Exam

• By 2014:• The Official Guide to

MCAT2015 Exam• Free practice test

By 2015:– One more practice

test• Additional Possibilities:

• Additional sets of items

• Question bank

Where is Help for Me?• Health Professions Program Offices

(walk-in; appts) with Sarah Berger or Lee Witters• Undergraduate Deans• Dean’s Office Student Consultants• Faculty in Relevant Departments• MCAT 2015 Preview Guide

Would be helpful to have a model D-plan or two in hand

before you have a conversation